Pleasure is its own principle – we seek it for its own good. Oftentimes, we’ll do things precisely for the pleasure. We only stop to think about the activity or issue if it becomes a problem: if despite its short-term pleasure it is detrimental to our overall happiness. “Happiness” has traditionally been understood as long-lived and useful, often attained in relationships, and typically doesn’t lead to addictions or dependence. In contrast, “pleasure” has been short-lived, fa

Can you take a compliment? I mean, really, hear something nice about your person or personality, and absorb it into your being, let it sink down deep into you and have it affect the way you think about yourself and your place in the world? I didn't think so. Honestly, neither can I. There always seems to be some barrier, some instinctual prejudice against myself, so that I can't easily accept positive observations about me or my character, and have that be meaningful. I doubt

Depression seems at record highs in recent years – and there is evidence to support that. Some point to social isolation with increasing divorce rates and social media. Some point to the increased anxiety in our culture and lifestyle over the past ten-to-fifteen years. But there is also evidence that depression has always been a part of human existence, in every culture around the world. Now, let me make a distinction between severe, clinical depression and what I call “healt

Have you ever overreacted? I mean, like out-of-the-blue lost it without even realizing why you were so upset? Sure, whatever happened sucked, but the level of anger, anxiety, fear, sadness or frustration you felt wasn't really appropriate to how sort-of-bad that one situation or "thing" was, right? Sure, we've all been there. Some of us live there. This happens all the time because when we are responding to something in our lives in the present or even in the future, we are r

We hardly need convincing. We all know that exercise is beneficial in so many ways. Yet we rarely commit to even incremental increases in our physical activity... if we can help it, or until a doctor prescribes it as part of treatment for disease. Well, I am not your doctor. Chances are I'm not even your coach. But I am prescribing more exercise for you right now. No matter what your ailment is, almost certainly you can benefit from a few more minutes of elevated activity. Le

If the answer isn't just one thing, or your answer has changed over the course of your life, you might be what TED speaker Emilie Wapknik calls "multipotentiality:" people with lots of different ideas, passions, ambitions... people who live several lifetimes in the space of just one. In this memorable TED talk you may find affirmation of who you have always been, or encouragement to be something (new?) you want to be. #TEDtalks #EmotionalHealth #Happiness

Common experience is being confirmed by scientific research that when we are happy we are more productive. More surprising, perhaps, is that the inverse is also true: we are happier when we are more productive. Research by Daniel Sgroi and others at the University of Warwick has shown that happiness can affect productivity up to 12% or more. That's a real difference. (https://www2.warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/pressreleases/new_study_shows/) What's more, productivity - even in

"...now science is proving through experiments that there are actual microorganism[s] in the soil that affect our sense of wellbeing." Just in time for long days barefoot in the field or delightful gleaning between rows in the garden, new (and very old) research is pointing to the broad and intuitive benefits of direct contact with the Earth... and with actual earth. A recent article, "Science finds Soil can Help Depression" (http://upliftconnect.com/science-finds-soil-help-d

There is a video making rounds on the internet of a Japanese social movement that focuses (in part) on reducing the number of possessions as a way of freeing the mind, body, spirit and emotions. It springs from Zen philosophy, in which simplicity is a key value. It is a short clip, and is captivating (and inspiring) because of the extreme simplicity achieved. Not many of us are in a place where we can (or want to) make this kind of intentional life-shaping. But it is an inspi